Tool and equipment organization allows for more efficient work activities and more enjoyable leisure activities. A job site or activity may be remote from the location of tool or equipment storage. A device organizing tools and or equipment generally saves the user time. An aim of organizers is the ready accessibility of the tool and or equipment. An organizer may be a specifically designed container or an existing container easily adapted to carry the needed tool, equipment, accessory and the like.
Existing containers, such as empty 5-gallon buckets, have long been use to carry tools, gardening implements, sporting equipment, cleaning supplies and the like. Buckets have been the focus of add-on devices to organize tools and equipment in or on the bucket. These devices fit in, on, around and or over a bucket and come with various configurations of openings and holding mechanisms. Most existing devices screw on to the bucket, clip to, or tie over the bucket.
Existing devices sometimes divide and section the available space in a bucket in attempts to provide organization. These devices assist in organization, but suffer from the loss of the use of the interior of the bucket. Some of these devices are stackable trays that conceal the items inside the bucket so that a user may forget where an item was placed and spend time searching each tray for the desired item. Another limitation of in-the-bucket organizers is the inability to safely carry long objects, such as hoes, shovels, rakes, fishing poles, shot guns, rifles, pipes and the like. When the center of gravity for the long object is above the fulcrum of the attachment point, the weight of the top of the object causes the bucket to tip and spill the equipment as well as anything else in or on the bucket.
Devices to accommodate items outside of a bucket have been developed. Examples of outside-the-bucket organizers include pocketed devices and those that fit to the outer sides of the bucket. Outside devices are typically made from fabric with a multitude of pockets. While the fabric allows for flexibility in pocket sizing to carry various sizes of tools and equipment, the fabric wears and is difficult to clean if it becomes soiled. These devices are better at accommodating long tools and equipment, but a fastener is usually required to secure the object. Plastic devices exist, but no simple device exists that combines the carrying or positioning of a long tool or piece of equipment outside of the bucket with means to readily access small items related to the task.
Many existing devices are made for a single type of use and are not adaptable for cross uses. Organizers for fishing supplies and painting equipment exist, but are difficult to adapt for use in each other's area or for any additional uses. Buying multiple buckets to hold objects and items specific for each use is expensive and multiple buckets consume space.
A need exists for an organizer adaptable to an empty 5-gallon bucket that holds and organizes all types of tools, gardening implements, sporting equipment, cleaning supplies, hobby supplies and the like. A need exists for a durable organizer that allows the user use of the interior of the bucket, allows for carrying long objects, such as tools, equipment, etc., and provides means to accommodate related supplies in an easily accessible manner.